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above, you will not need to study the nuts and bolts of bluffing as much (odds, position). The reason is simple...if you are telling yourself, "I have pocket aces," or "I have the nuts," you just need to keep thinking that when you decide how to act. That thought will direct you as to how to procede-not calculating percentages of the pot and chip stacks.

A well-timed bluff, however, is something that must be calculated and planned. Here is where position, chip stacks, blinds, and your read on players comes in. Now that you know how to pull off the bet, you must master when to bluff.

A good time to bluff is when you think you can easily win a pot because everyone has limped in and looks bored. So it goes without saying that having late position (being on or next to the button) is beneficial for bluffing. However, don't become predictable or fall into a pattern. In a short-handed game, it can be easier to bluff in any position than at a full table. Another great time to bluff from any position is when you're "on fire" (after winning the last few hands in a row).

Depending on your projected table image as a woman, a great time to bluff can be first thing when you sit down at a new table. If you sit down looking confused and asking questions about how to play the game, BLUFF! Once you've taken a bit of money from your opponents, switch gears and let the traditional factors determine when you bluff (position, odds, chip stacks).

Another factor in strategic bluffing is based on your read of the players at the table. Certain players can be bluffed more easily than others. A common poker rule is that "bad," unskilled players can't and shouldn't be bluffed. In her book Outplaying the Boys, Cat Hulbert recommends that women players try to take advantage of three typical male player types:

- Neanderthal/Macho Man - He wants to control women players and is uncomfortable competing against a woman. He has a big ego and hates losing to a woman.
- Daddykins - He wants to be your father figure. He wants to take you under his wing and make you his protege.
- Mr. Nice Guy - He is sweet and supportive, welcoming you to the table.

For more on poker strategy for women, go to http://www.poker4girls.net

Learn more about this author, Staci Marquez-Nichols.
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